This is How We're Meant to Be
by Jbsullivan17
Summary: 1 Clarke was scouring the room for dirty laundry to make her tiny load worth the water& detergent& stumbled on a diamond ring. 2 Raven needs drinking buddies on a Sunday night so Clarke and Bellamy are good friends and go out with her... only to wake up together 3 Bellamy goes to DC. 4 Bellamy throws a surprise party for Clarke. 5 Clarke and Bellamy try to adopt Madi.
1. Accidental Snooping

**_2017_**

Two years. He's had the ring two years, properly sized for 18 months but he's still had the ring in his possession for two years and hasn't done a thing with it. There was a moment three months ago where he'd thought he lost it and freaked the hell out, nearly giving himself a coronary, ultimately finding it in the glovebox of his piece of shit '99 Ford Focus three days before trading it in for the '15 Camry he'd picked out. Honestly, he'd have kept the Focus if he'd had to have bought her a ring himself.

He's not being cheap, he's just always felt strapped for cash, even when he wasn't, it's just always eaten away in the back of his head that he's spending frivolously. Even knowing it'd be an engagement ring for Clarke, his brain gnawed away at the thought, stressing him out more than he ever thought possible.

So just over two years ago, Bellamy had a conference in DC and took a lunch away from it and spent it with Abby Griffin at her hospital. He wanted to be mature about it, he wasn't asking Abby for a ring for her daughter, he was merely going to ask for her permission since Jake had passed just over four years ago at that point. It turned into Abby crying, which he definitely did not intend, and her offering Clarke's grandmother's ring, asking to keep it in the family and she'd always knew that he was the one for her. Frankly that creeped him out a little, but he also knew that Clarke was the only woman in the world who could keep his head on straight. It was mutually beneficial for them both. After thinking that, he knew he wasn't ready and didn't propose until his immediate reasoning was because he couldn't possibly think of spending another day without her because he loves her so much.

Mutually beneficial, it's not a business transaction, it's their lives finally merged together.

So it was weird, having this feeling throughout the day that it was somehow significant. He went over every important date in his head. His birthday passed last month, Clarke's wasn't for another three months and Christmas was a month later, Octavia's is in March, this is August, what could be so exciting about today? August 22, 2017? It wasn't their anniversary, that's somehow Valentine's Day and not as romantic as people would usually assume when he tells them that. So he spent the whole day pondering the importance of August 22 until he arrived home to their condo in SoHo that her trust fund paid for and he's felt guilty about since she bought it four years ago.

He walked in the door, exhausted from thinking about it all day, he dropped his briefcase on the bench and kicked his shoes off, tucking them underneath the bench while loosening his tie. Came around the corner, used to smelling something amazing that Clarke's cooked up for them, her cooking classes working fucking miracles, but the kitchen was as pristine as when he left it this morning and Clarke was sitting on the couch, her back to him, hunched over and unmoving.

"Babe?" he called to her but still, nothing. "Clarke?" Bellamy walked around the back of the couch and froze at the small box on the coffee table in front of her.

"How long?" she asked without even looking away from it.

"Two years."

Clarke scoffed, and Bellamy saw her brain working through when he could have possibly seen her mother and—"The conference. Was that even a real thing or did you make it up to ask my mom if you could have her blessing?"

"Clarke—"

"No! For two years, she's answered the phone expectantly and I never knew why. It got to the point where I thought she might actually been because she wanted to speak to me, not waiting to hear that you proposed."

"I'm sorry. I—I didn't know."

"Of course, you didn't, how could you? I never talk about her because of stuff like this!"

He couldn't say anything, nothing could make up for how fucked he was at this moment, Clarke's furious at him and rightfully so, he'd unknowingly fucked up her relationship with her mother more than it already was and she didn't need that, not after the year she's had.

"At least tell me why you haven't," her voice was soft, almost like she thought he's given up on them and that couldn't be further than the truth.

"I wanted it to be perfect."

"'Perfect', our relationship began by accident with neither of us walking away after, what about us could ever be perfect?"

Bellamy chuckled. "This. This right here with you yelling at me about not proposing to you for two years. This is perfect."

"Bellamy—"

"Clarke, I have loved you since that first day in my classroom. You acted like you knew everything, you were a whirlwind of knowledge and self-assurance that made me feel like I had to knock you down a peg. I hated that I didn't have to. I hated that you were just naturally horrible at history, also explaining why a senior was taking a freshman history class. It also meant that I shouldn't have been such a stubborn asshole and helped you instead of watching you suffer.

"That kiss was the scariest moment of my life. We were graduating in three months. I had job interviews in every city except New York and you were staying here, you love New York. I thought I'd lose you as a friend if I moved. Then in that moment, I thought I'd lose you from that moment on and not have to wait three months when I'd moved away."

Clarke stood and kissed him chastely, her arms wrapping around his neck. "I kissed you because I loved you then. You could have asked me to marry you in that moment and I would have said yes," her voice broke and Bellamy smiled at her sincerity and how he turned her mood around so easily.

But he shook his head, "I woke up stupidly early on a Monday to an alarm blaring, not my alarm so I was confused as all hell. Why the hell did we drink so much on a Sunday?"

"Raven was upset about Wick leaving," she reminded him.

"Right, anyway, I don't know how or why but I woke up in your tiny apartment—"

"If mine was tiny, yours was microscopic."

"—and I looked over at the grumbling girl lying next to me, fighting with the clock. I reached over to help because if it kept going for another moment, my brain was going to explode, and once it did finally stop, I looked down at you. Your blonde curls spread out across your pillow, mascara smudged under your eyes and that fucking red lip stick smeared on your cheek, I knew I loved you. I was in denial before then, we're both too stubborn for our own good.

"Then our mouths were pressed together and I didn't know or even cared who made the move, I just never wanted it to end. God, Clarke, I never want to stop kissing you and I definitely never want to stop getting to know you."

"Bellamy, please," she sighed, her fingers toying with the ends of his hair, driving him mad. "I don't need a speech, I don't need my grandmother's ring. I don't want my mother's permission, I just want you. I need you."

"You won't even let me finish my speech, I already knew that about you. And I know you're going to say yes, I can tell by the look on your face. You say you've been waiting six years for this, you should at least let me give a speech."

"Okay," she bit her lip, trying to hold back a smile and Bellamy somehow loved her even more.

"When I think about you, I think family. You know me better than anyone, I can walk in the room and you'd immediately know what I'd need, whether it's space, scotch, or a documentary to yell at, you always seem to know. But we're still learning each other. I want to spend the rest of my life learning you, Clarke Marie Griffin." He detangled himself from her arms and stepped back to get down on one knee, grabbing the box from the coffee table next to them. "Will you marry me?"

Clarke rolled her eyes, "You're such a romantic, Blake. Of course, I'll marry you."

With the dopiest grin on his face, Bellamy pulled the ring out of the open box, and pushed it on her finger, a perfect fit. He stood and lifted Clarke into the air as he kissed her, carrying her to their bedroom.

A few hours later Clarke rolled over and leaned on his chest, looking down at him with an exhausted, lazy smile. "I can't give you that family, you know that."

"Families are more than biology, Princess. Nieces and nephews are fine for me too."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Bellamy smiled, kissing her temple. "I love you and I'm never going to regret that."


	2. Our New Normal

_**2011**_

"He said something about needing space, how it's too intense," Raven groaned and Bellamy sat back, sipping on his beer as Clarke intently listened to their friend next to him.

"I thought you guys weren't serious. I mean, that's the allure you've been setting with us."

"We're not, I'm upset over the lack of sex I'm not going to have because of this."

"You're upset over sex?" Bellamy grimaced. Sometimes, he really hates being friends with girls, then he looks at Clarke and changes his mind.

"Yeah, and don't think we're going to take another shot at it, Blake. Once was enough for me."

"Haha. I'm never helping you ever again. Never ask me for anything."

Raven turned to Clarke, "So dramatic!"

"Me?" Bellamy scoffed. "I'm not the one that called an emergency drinking party because I'm not getting a steady stream of sex whenever I want it."

"You could though... have one I mean."

Bellamy's mind drifted to Clarke, he knew that's what Raven meant and she'd never exploit his feelings for his best friend in front of her, but not hint at it in a way that only he knew. It's not as though Bellamy's hiding it per say, he just doesn't know how she feels and doesn't want to make their seemingly easy friendship difficult. He couldn't bear loosing her.

"Nope, I'm okay with occasionally getting to take someone home. I don't need a steady stream in and out of my apartment."

Clarke stood and headed to the bar to order another round without asking if anyone else wanted anything.

"Smooth," Raven smirked.

"What?"

"You should just ask her out."

"Who?" Bellamy grimaced.

"Clarke. You guys are perfect together."

Bellamy scoffed, "No, she doesn't think of me that way."

"Have you ever thought about asking her?"

"Of course I have, I just… she doesn't see me like that. I've gotten over it, okay? This isn't up for discussion."

"Fine, but I'm just letting you know that she walked away, not just because her glass was empty, but because hearing about your sexcapades hurts her."

"You're the one that brought them up," he reminded her. "You should feel guilty about making her feel bad."

"This whole outing is supposed to cheer me up and you're doing a shitty job."

"You're the one coercing me into extroverting my feelings without any proof of reciprocation."

"Those are some big words for a drunk man."

"I've had two whiskey straights," he shook his head at her.

"And now three… four… and five," Clarke said, chuckling at something they missed as she deposited a round of drinks and shots on the table, a large man with broad shoulders and long hair smirked behind her, helping her out. "Raven, this is Roan, he and his friend were talking about your beauty. His friend's in a relationship, but Roan here is single."

"My beauty?"

"Definitely the more vulgar version. You know you're hot," Roan said and Bellamy grimaced, who did this guy think he was?

"I am and I certainly don't need anyone to tell me so."

"Believe me, I know. You're not the kind of woman who'd be happy as arm candy."

"No, that'd be your job," Raven quipped and Bellamy downed a shot, trying not to laugh, while Clarke smiled at them and Bellamy swore it was in both amusement and a pat on her back for a job well done, they're a good match.

The rest of the night turned into a blur as Clarke and Bellamy watched the Ice Mechanic show in front of them, Clarke FaceTimed Jasper for five minutes and he came up with the 'ship name. Bellamy laughed at it, mostly because Raven and Roan were trying to out-diss each other while also being bad ass flirts, that he was also hella impressed with because he can't flirt with Clarke for his life.

The edges began to blur in his vision so he called it a night, and entertaining night, promising to bring Clarke home first. He knows he promised that.

* * *

Bellamy's head pounded, what did he drink last night? What the hell was that noise?

He groaned, rolling over and reached for the alarm, realizing he was on top of someone, he looked down, finding Clarke's blue eyes looking up at him. She licked her lips and Bellamy couldn't help but look down and watch her tongue trace across her lips.

He didn't know how but suddenly her lips were pressed against his and he never wanted it to end. He cupped her jaw, needing to touch her, and with only one hand, it was somewhat of a challenge but he's sure he managed. Clarke somehow pulled him even closer, and he feared she couldn't breathe until he trailed a line of kisses down her jaw to her neck and she whispered, "I need you."

Bellamy suddenly shot up to his knees and looked down at her, spread out in her bed for him. Fuck, she's gorgeous. "Clarke—"

"Please, Bell. I—I want you."

"I have a class at ten. I have to shower and—I'm not saying no, Clarke. I just can't right now. I shouldn't have felt bad for Raven, I had too much to do before class and I have to do that now. I don't remember anything after leaving the bar last night, which is problematic. Why am I in your bed?"

Clarke smiled, sitting up ad taking his hand in hers. "I didn't want to be alone. Rather Drunk Clarke didn't want you to leave and Drunk Bellamy didn't either. I think we watched Fraiser."

"At least when we're drunk we have good taste in TV," Bellamy laughed before looking somber, not wanting to go but needing to and he told her exactly that.

"Come back tonight?"

"I'll pick you up and take you out. A proper date."

Clarke bit her lip. "You're such a grandpa. I'm out of the coffee shop at six so seven?"

"Seven," he smiled, leaning over and kissing her before climbing out of her bed and picked his shirt up off the floor to yank it back over his head when the importance of the day hit him like a brick with cliché. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"You too and we're doing take out tonight. Restaurants are all booked," Clarke laughed.

"I'm good with that. Thai and Netflix… we've been dating for a year if this is what dating is now."

"Our version at least."


	3. Take Her Hand

_**2015**_

Clarke groaned when Bellamy kissed her forehead before he left for the train station. She's not a morning person and it's insanely early, he didn't want to wake her before her alarm so he wrote her a note and kissed her forehead before leaving.

He didn't want to leave. The school year had just ended and he wanted some time to rest but the district chooses one teacher to go to the convention per year and he was chosen. It was also a prime opportunity to get to talk to Abby alone about his future with Clarke. He'd been meaning to for two years but whenever he tried, Clarke would walk in the room and he'd have to wait for the next opportunity when they were alone. Octavia and Raven grilled him last year about his intentions and if he even wanted to get married. What kind of question is that?

He threw his bag over his shoulder and locked the apartment behind him, descended the two story staircase and walked out into the street, towards the subway that will take him to Grand Central.

"Bellamy!" he heard just before he rounded the corner, turning around to find Clarke bolting towards him, barefoot and in the tiny tank top and sleep shorts he'd left her in.

She slammed into him, arms wrapping around him as she caught her breath. "I love you," she sighed.

"I'm coming back," he chuckled, holding her waist.

"Yes, but a week is too long to go without you."

"I'll call every night with complaints about someone's idiotic teaching method."

Clarke chuckled into his neck before pulling back—barely—and looked up at him with her sleepy smile, "I know. I just wanted to tell you and kiss you before you left."

"Well, then kiss me so I don't miss my train."

"You'll catch another."

"I was supposed to leave yesterday and you found this one at this ungodly hour. I have to go."

Clarke sighed, dropping her head back to his shoulder.

"Whether you kiss me or not, I still have to go. You know I'll miss you more than air."

"Miss me more than O?"

"Of course."

"And—"

"Clarke, I'm serious. Kiss me so I can go to this conference."

"This week is going to suck."

"Call Raven and Monty, Luna and Roan. We have plenty of friends that can make your evenings fly by. I have to schmooze with teachers from around the country whom I'll never see again. You win."

"I do!" she perked up with a wide smile and Bellamy grimaced. "Though you have Miller and Jackson."

Bellamy rolled his eyes. "Goodbye, Princess," he said pulling out of her grasp to go to the subway another block away.

"No!" she grimaced, pulling him down for a scorching kiss that even telenovela actors were in awe of the passion. She loved him too. "You can't leave me again."

"I haven't even left yet," he smirked, untangling her arms from him.

"I just know I'm going to be miserable, our friends have lives."

"Jasper and Monty don't have lives and Roan is one phone call away from stardom, they have time to hang out with you. I have to go and you have to cover up before our neighbors see you all sexy like this."

"Fine. Call me when you get there," Clarke pouted and Bellamy kissed her again before turning back to the subway.

* * *

Nerves.

Bellamy never really experienced them until he met Dr. Abigail Griffin. She's a W.I.C. and they intimidated him, but it was also because he was crushing hard on her daughter. And they've been together for three years and he wants to marry her. Marry Clarke, not Abby. They graduated two years ago, they both somehow managed to get jobs in the same city, him a teacher at a high school and her the art director at a museum. Of course, he'd love to be a professor at Columbia or NYU, though it's a stretch, but he wants to give back to the community for a while. Get his bearings and probably let age get the better of him so he'll stop looking like a fucking college student while teaching college students.

The principal forced him into going to this teachers conference that's held every year with teachers from across the country coming together to share their experiences and methods. Bellamy barely had a method, still trying to feel out the school board and all but there he was, spending his mid-winter break in Washington DC with a bunch of other underpaid educators crammed together in the same building during one of the most grueling elections he's ever bore witness to and he only had one goal when the conference wasn't going on, he had to see Abigail Griffin.

Which was how he ended up sitting at a picnic table in the hospital's courtyard, his foot tapping anxiously under the table as he picked at the empty coffee cup in his hand.

"Bellamy Blake, what do I owe this pleasure?" Dr. Griffin asked sitting across from him.

He smiled sheepishly as he pulled his hands away from the cup and looked up at her. She looked the same as she did at Thanksgiving, not a shock there though. "Dr. Griffin, I was in town, thought I'd say hi, see where you work, it's an impressive hospital."

"Yes, it is. And I have a surgery I should be prepping for, but I heard that today hasn't been your first time visiting this week. You're looking for me, why? You could have called."

"I'm on the same plan as Clarke and if she looked at the records… I didn't want her wondering why I called you."

"Why did you call me?"

"I would like to marry your daughter. I know she'd want me to ask Jake for permission, but I can't. I know you guys don't have the best relationship and you're trying to mend it, but I think it'd mean something if you—"

"Jake wouldn't shut up about you. Clarke was so pushy that weekend, we just had to meet the man who made her dinner twice a week because frozen dinners and take-out weren't healthy. They're not. You impressed him, though it wasn't too hard to do because his daughter was smitten. If Jake were here, he would have hugged you and asked you what's taken you so long."

Bellamy thought about it, the only time he met Jake Griffin, how the man watched him like a hawk while also being kind and open. Bellamy respected his skepticism, he and Clarke had a rocky start and became friends in the strangest way, he didn't even realize that he was fond of her until the endo of her sophomore year and he didn't want her to go back to DC. Saying goodbye hurt, he didn't expect it and he hated it, but it happened and he never wants to say goodbye to her again. "We're in a good place."

"Did you get a ring?"

"Not yet," he grimaced.

"Clarke always snuck into my jewelry box after her grandmother passed away, slipped it on her finger. It's this art deco design that's unique and it's perfect for her. Would you like it? I know she'd want it."

"Um, are you sure?"

"It's too big for her finger, it's going to have to be resized but yes, it's all yours."

"Yes. Yes, thank you, Dr. Griffin."

"We're family, Bellamy. You can call me, Abby."

"Okay. Thank you, Abby."

"You leave tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes, my flight's at one."

"I have the morning off. Come by the house on your way to the airport and I'll give it to you. Right now I really have to go. Surgery."

Bellamy nodded and hugged Abby before she left, thanking her once again.

* * *

"She's going to love this," Abby smiled in the kitchen the next morning, pouring another cup of coffee for Bellamy, Kane sat quietly at the other end of the island reading the Post and drinking his coffee.

"Abby, I—I really don't know what to say, this ring is beautiful."

"Say thank you and let me know when you do it, I don't just want a save the date email."

Bellamy scoffed. "I will, Clarke might beat me to it once she sees it though."

"I couldn't be any more proud of you, son," Kane said, folding his newspaper.

Bellamy grimaced before realizing that the man might feel a little hurt that Bellamy didn't ask for his permission. Not only is he Clarke's stepfather, but he's also known her all her life. "Kane, I—"

"Double-edged sword," the man carried his mug to the sink and dropped it in before kissing Abby on the cheek, "I'll see you tonight." He turned to Bellamy, giving him a stern handshake, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Bellamy smiled back softly as the guilt ate away at him.

Once they heard the door close, Abby turned back to Bellamy. "He's happy for you guys, he just thought you might have saw him as a father figure."

"He said that?"

"Not in those words, but he taught you and Clarke up at NYU and you were his TA. He watched the two of you fall in love and thought that maybe you'd let him know since you still call him all the time."

"I know and I was going to, but you're her mother and she's not going to be happy finding out I asked either of you, but she's going to. I love her and want her to be happy more than anything."

Abby nodded, "You make her happy."

"There was a time I thought she'd never be happy again."

"Me too. Jake was a huge part of her life, better to her than I was. I'm trying as much as she'll let me."

Bellamy smiled, "I know. She talks to me about you and I sometimes have to remind her that you are trying. I really mean no offense by this but I tell her better late than never. It gives her that perspective that she is lucky. She still has a parent around to drive her crazy. She loves you and she hates that you didn't convince Jake into chemo but she still has you around and you are trying. I don't and saying that reminds her of that too."

"Your father?"

"And mom, she wasn't the best, but she did try her hardest to provide for us and she did. The crash was sudden and I had to work three jobs to keep O and I in college even with scholarships and grants. They weren't enough."

"You don't know your father at all? Not even his name?"

"No, I know he's Filipino."

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah, my mom didn't think he'd split either, but he did. I feel like I haven't missed much most of the time but then there was Kane and he made me feel like I missed out on my childhood. It's weird and I didn't expect this either, talking to you."

"I'm glad we are and I'm sorry for judging you when Clarke first brought you around. I thought Finn was good for her, but I can see that you're more than Finn."

"I really hate that guy," Bellamy laughed.

"Yeah, he wasn't the best. I also think of Raven as a daughter, Clarke always brought her around after everything with Finn."

"Another orphan finding a surrogate parental figure to look up to."

"Octavia never saw me like that."

"Indra is the closest she got. She also befriended Gaia so that's why she was over there more."

"And Lincoln didn't hurt either."

Bellamy grimaced, "They're lucky I didn't find out until she was of legal age."

"He respects you."

"He's a good guy. Have you ever considered moving up to New York?"

"No, I like it here, it's less hectic. I love visiting you guys though. It's a nice change, not exactly a vacation, but different from the day to day."

"You're always welcome."

"Thanksgiving," she smiled. They agreed years ago that she'd visit on Thanksgiving and they'd go see her and Kane for Christmas. It's easier than Bellamy taking days off work to visit during Thanksgiving and then spring break they'd all go down to Kane's beachfront bungalow in Naples, Florida. They all get a vacation, though it usually turns into a catfight between the Griffin women and that's when Bellamy volunteers to play golf (horribly) with Kane, Jaha, and Pike, all Princeton alumnus of the same year and frat.

Bellamy hates golf.

"You're welcome to visit more."

"You say that, but I'm afraid that if I do, Clarke isn't going to be so pleased. We're good, Bellamy. We argue like crazy, but we always have. You and Kane are great buffers too."

Bellamy checked the time on the stove behind Abby and sighed. "I should go, my flights in three hours and I have to check in." He stood and put his mug in the sink before closing the ring box and putting it in his pocket, "Thank you so much, she's going to be surprised."

"Keep me in the loop and if you need anything you can always call me."

Bellamy nodded and hugged Abby before leaving with a smile on his face.

Now he just has to find the right moment to propose.


	4. Botched Plan

_**2016**_

He finally figured it out.

He was going to propose on Saturday, celebrating her birthday with their friends. He was going to do it in front of everyone she loved. He had it all planned out, down to her favorite cake from a bakery in Hoboken.

"So, you finally doing it?" Raven asked walking in the door.

Bellamy rolled his eyes, wondering why she has a key to his and Clarke's apartment. "That's the plan, but if anyone ruins it. That's my main concern, someone's going to do something that will ruin it."

"You guys have been together forever. Lincoln and Octavia beat you to marriage, which is kind of sad."

"They're different."

"No kidding, your sister's a force of nature and you're somewhat of a pussy."

"Fuck you too," Bellamy rolled his eyes, putting the top layer of stuffing in the casserole bowl.

"What the hell are you making?"

"Clarke's favorite meal. I swear you've had it before. Don't worry, you'll like it. Kind of bland but there's a kick somewhere in there. There's cheese and chicken and mushrooms and stuffing. I know how to make it and everybody better eat it."

"I'm starving so I'll eat whatever you put in front of me. Please tell me you bought the fudge cake."

"I'm not a complete idiot."

"Just a partial one."

"Octavia and Lincoln are bringing it. She's with Luna right now."

"Why? They don't exactly get along."

"Something to do with Roan."

"Roan and Luna aren't friends either."

"Rae, I really have no clue and I still have to shower so please, make yourself a drink and put out some hors d'oeuvres while I get ready. Jasper and Monty should be here soon with more alcohol," he practically yelled at her. So he's nervous, he's allowed to be nervous, it's six years in the making. Fine, ten since they've met but it wasn't a meet cute, it was definitely not cute!

Twenty minutes later, Bellamy stepped out of his bedroom and Raven and Roan were curled up on his chair together while Monty and Jasper argued about something in hushed tones in the kitchen.

"O and Lincoln should be here in five. Murphy and Emory are delayed, they fought when he got home earlier. I think Echo agreed to come with Harper, which confused me because I didn't know they liked each other or have even talked in the past," Raven updated him.

"I invited Wells," Bellamy said and the whole apartment went quiet and turned to him apart from Roan who doesn't know anything about Wells.

"Wait, seriously?" Monty asked leaning over the counter that separated the living room and kitchen.

"Yeah, he hates you," Raven added for solidarity.

"He's her oldest friend and she hasn't seen him since Jake's funeral where they had that fight. It's time."

"You're such a self-saboteur!" Raven exclaimed, standing up just to shove him.

"What's he sabotaging?" Jasper questioned. "And why didn't anyone tell me that I could have invited Maya?"

"We never said you couldn't," Monty grumbled.

"He's going to propose, but Wells is going to outshine a proposal and maybe ruin Clarke's twenty-ninth birthday!" Raven yelled, shoving Bellamy again.

"I thought she's turning thirty," Roan muttered.

Raven glared at Roan before stating, "Twenty. Nine."

"You're cute when you're angry."

Raven ignored Roan as she turned back to Bellamy, still fuming. "Did you even tell Abby? Did you think at all? You invite the one person she has no desire of speaking to aside from Finn and you still intend on proposing."

"Finn deserves whichever ditch he's wound up in, but Wells, though he may not like me, he's been there with her through everything. So they had a fight eight years ago, I figured he should be here for the next big thing to happen in Clarke's life since the funeral."

There was a knock on the door and Jasper ran to it, he's also the closest one so it made sense. He walked back in a moment later carrying a large pink box which Bellamy assumed was the cake, confirming the fact with Octavia and Lincoln walking in with Luna and Wells on their heels.

"What the hell?" Octavia asked Bellamy while giving him a tight hug.

"I invited him."

"He's Luna's boyfriend too."

"What?" Bellamy grimaced, turning to Lincoln for confirmation.

"That's what was said in the elevator," he shrugged and Bellamy nodded.

"Okay. Luna, what the hell is this I hear about you dating Wells?"

"Hey, I had no idea until he said he had a birthday party to go to tonight and I said it was cool because I did too. Turns out it's the same party and he's never spoken about her to me because they haven't talked in eight years."

"I think it's time that changed," Bellamy said, looking at Wells. He looks good and Luna hasn't looked this happy since Derrick.

"You invited Wells, did you invite Miller too?" Murphy asked, stepping into the apartment with Emory on his tail carrying an eighteen pack of Michelob Ultra, Murphy's favorite.

"If it were my birthday, yeah."

"Wait, so where is Clarke if she isn't with Luna?" Raven grimaced.

"Echo told me she had her."

"Echo? Why is she even considered in the watching Clarke plan? Clarke doesn't like her because of everything that happened with her and I."

"That's like saying Clarke doesn't like me because we had sex once," Raven reminded him.

"Wait, what?" Roan freaked out momentarily before relaxing. "Eh, I don't care about the past. Clarke shouldn't either."

"Clarke has her own mind," Bellamy reminded everyone, not that they should forget that after the numerous decisions made that all of them argued against. "So do all of us. I decided that Wells should be here tonight and so did he. He's here and she gets to decide how she reacts."

No one responded and eventually they all started talking about something else until they heard the door open. Bellamy scoped out the room. Murphy and Emory were across the apartment from each other, their argument still raging. Octavia hung close to the door, been to the bathroom twice in the hour she's been here, making Bellamy wonder what's going on with her, Lincoln doesn't seem concerned though. Monty and Raven were playing a new game that's a gift to Clarke, she's the gamer out of the two of them, not that he complained, he liked watching her be competitive with someone other than him for a change.

Clarke walked into the apartment with a smile on her face and stopped when she saw Wells standing in the living room talking to Luna and Lincoln. Bellamy froze, uncertain of what the look on her face meant when Echo crashed into her.

"Sorry," she murmured.

Wells looked over towards the door and waited for Clarke to make the first move.

Clarke's lip quivered and Bellamy relaxed slightly, it's usually a good sign. The blonde firecracker bolted through their small kitchen and slammed into Wells, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and Bellamy released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I'm sorry," Clarke told Wells.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have—"

"It was eight years ago, it doesn't matter anymore."

"Jake will always matter, he taught us how to drive and order alcohol."

Clarke laughed and Bellamy saw the tears. "He'd hate that we haven't talked."

"That's what Bellamy said when he invited me."

"Bell—" she looked over at Bellamy with a small smile. "Of course he did. I'm sorry I didn't call. I've missed you."

"You're also stubborn and mourning. It's okay, Clarke, we're okay. I'm going to be around more either way."

Clarke looked at him then over to Luna. "The mystery man," she smiled. "He's a good one."

"I think so too," Luna smiled. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you. I didn't expect a party though."

"All Bellamy."

Clarke smiled, looking at him again. "What the hell is so special about twenty-nine?"

"Nothing, but you've been having a bad month and I thought you'd like to have fun with your friends."

"And reconcile with others?"

"Need be," he smirked and Clarke walked over to him and kissed him chastely before smiling at her friends. "This doesn't look much like a party? Where the hell's the music? Bell, what's for dinner?"

"Chicken and stuffing."

"You're my favorite person."

"With salad," he informed her.

"Hell, you could have added mashed potatoes and gravy and I'd be cool with a Canadian Thanksgiving."

"I'm Canadian!" Roan said even though no one cared.

"He's just throwing ammo at me to use against him later," Bellamy smirked.

"Pretty sure Roan just says what he thinks whether it's relevant or not," she smirked.

* * *

Bellamy was about to do it, he was going to stand up and get everybody's attention and ask Clarke to marry him when he heard the clinking of a fork on glassware and he looked to Octavia who was standing already.

"So I know this is Clarke's birthday and all and I don't want to outshine that but Lincoln and I are going on vacation starting tomorrow because we don't know when we're going to ever have alone time again because we're pregnant."

The room erupted with a cacophony of congratulations and squeals since they've been trying to have a baby for over a year. Nearly as long as Bellamy's been waiting to propose to Clarke, how is he supposed to take this moment from Octavia?

He can't.

"Bell?" Clarke pressed, he's missed something.

"Hmm? Sorry."

"Aren't you happy? You're going to be an uncle!"

"Yeah," he smiled realizing Octavia was pointedly watching him. "Yeah. I'm happy for them."

"You don't look happy."

"I have a lot on my mind."

She squeezed his thigh under the table, telling him they'll talk about it later. It's her thing even before they got together. They'd be fighting about something stupid at the bar with the gang and a thigh squeeze and he shut up and the subject was changed. The first time he was too shocked that he hadn't noticed her hand there at all and the rest he just prayed he didn't feel his arousal for her.

"Congratulations, you guys are going to be amazing parents," he smiled at the gleaming couple. No matter how much he wished he could call Clarke his fiancée, he's happy that his sister is getting everything she's ever wanted.

The night went on and Bellamy played the role of host well, congratulating his sister and Lincoln again before they left for the night along with everyone else. He was happy for them, really he was, but he had a plan and they ruined it. He can't top a baby, no one can and it sucks because he's been planning it for months… Years really.

He cleaned up in silence, Clarke helping and he knew that she was patiently waiting for him to say why he's upset and withdrew mentally from the party he threw for her.

Clarke climbed into bed an hour later, resting her chin on Bellamy's shoulder, looking down at him. "Are you okay? You haven't been yourself since the announcement."

"I'm fine. I'm happy for them, I just wasn't expecting it."

"They've been trying for a baby."

"I know, I'm happy for them."

"You can keep saying that but I feel like it's something else. Do you… do you wish it were me? That I was the one that's pregnant and not Octavia?"

"Clarke…"

"I want a family, Bellamy. I want it with you and I want you to want it for yourself."

"I do."

"Okay, good," she smiled before kissing him. "I love you," she settled against his chest and fell asleep while Bellamy wondered how this has been the weirdest and worst day of his life, excluding the news of becoming an uncle.

"I love you too."


	5. Life Changes

"How long have you been with Mr. Blake?" Ms. Woods—Gaia—asked Clarke sitting in her chair with the clipboard in her lap.

Clarke smirked, she knew this was coming the moment Bellamy was late.

"Ten years. Been married for just over a year."

"Why weren't you married sooner?"

Clarke licked her lips, she knew it was necessary but it was still something she didn't quite understand herself. "He wanted it to be the perfect proposal."

"Was it?"

"Yes and no. He had it planned for my twenty-ninth birthday but his sister beat him to it, announcing her pregnancy. I found the ring a year later and it wasn't really a proposal. We stumbled into our relationship, it just made sense that we'd stumble into an engagement and… and Madi."

"You know we can't guarantee that Madi will be placed with you."

"We know," Clarke said mournfully. She hadn't even had Madi for more than a day and she was certain that she wanted to adopt her. Foster.

"Is that him?" Gaia asked, looking past Clarke into the rows of cubicles where Bellamy was pushing through everything to get to the office. He's fifteen minutes late.

"Yeah. I knew he was going to be late. School gets out at three and—"

"It's fine, I'm sure he's dedicated to his students."

Clarke nodded, hated being so nervous, it's Bellamy's thing. "He really is, he loves kids and will be great with ours, fostered or adopted or—"

"Clarke, you are doing just fine. Don't try to impress me, just tell the truth and how you feel."

"Okay," Clarke sighed as Bellamy stepped into the door.

"Mr. Blake, thank you for joining us. I'm Gaia."

"I'm sorry I'm late, one of my students had a few questions about the test I'd just handed back and—"

"Mel?" Clarke asked.

"Yeah, she's improving, just hates eights."

Clarke smirked, "So did I."

Bellamy chuckled. "What'd I miss?"

"We were just discussing why you've been together for ten years but only married for one."

"I couldn't figure out how to propose."

"You could have rolled over one morning and simply asked. No ring needed. I've known for a long time that I wanted to marry you."

"Mr. Blake," Gaia interrupted, bringing them back to the matter at hand. "Clarke and I were talking and she says she's well aware of the fact that we cannot guarantee the placement of Madi with you but another child may be matched with you instead. Are you alright with that?"

"Every child needs a home," he nodded. "Yes."

"I can try to get Madi placed with you, but that's not a promise."

"I understand and appreciate it."

"It'll take a few weeks to process you and see if you are viable foster parents, that's with me fast tracking you, and if Madi isn't in a home by then, I'm sure she can go with you, but there's also a home visit you'll need to pass first. Just to see if your home is a good match as well as you guys."

"Is there anything we should know about that? The do's and don't's?" Bellamy asked.

"No drugs or alcohol or any relative paraphernalia. Her bedroom needs a closet, that's standard in real estate since the nineties. No loose wires, no… it's common sense, really. What you wouldn't have your school looking like, you wouldn't have your home looking like."

"You have that much trust in the public school system?"

"Hell no, but it's the same standards. Oh, and if you own a gun, we need to know and it needs to be put away in a lock box at all times at home."

"No guns," Clarke confirmed, knowing full well that Bellamy has a gun in the closet, something from his days in the army.

"Good, so the house call is unannounced, so be prepared in the coming weeks. Good luck," Gaia smiled, standing to shake both of their hands before they walked out of her office and through the cubicles until they were out on the street when Bellamy glared at her.

"Really? I know you've been trying to get rid of it for years, so was this planned or convenient?"

"It's an unloaded rifle that's in pieces in a locked safe because it makes you feel unsafe."

"I still don't, but I trust you. Bellamy, what if she decides to play with it when we think she's in her room doing homework and I'm making dinner?"

"We're all dead anyway," he smirked.

Clarke slapped his shoulder, "I'm being serious! What if she does and she puts the pieces together correctly? We can't come back from that."

"You're right."

"And I can't—" her voice broke, it's the one thing she hates talking about. The one thing she hates remembering, because not only did Wells lose his mother, but Clarke lost the ability to have kids. She was only ten.

"I know. I want a family with you, Clarke, but I can be happy if it's just you and me."

Clarke shook her head frantically, he'd be an amazing father, he was to Octavia, there are children who deserve a man like him for a father. He's needed in the world for them. "You should be a father," she cried, unable to hold them back any further.

"If the universe decides we should be parents, then I will be. Clarke, I know you have this fear that I'm going to leave you because you can't give me what I want, but before I even wanted children, I wanted you. You are what matters to me."

"You shouldn't have to choose."

Her head was spinning, she didn't know what to think, how he could love her. How he could find her beautiful after knowing what she's been through, what she's seen. How can people keep moving forward after so much trauma and heartache?

"I'm not. If anything, it's a gift."

"I'm tainted."

"You're beautiful, and amazing, and cynical. Fucking self-sacrificial which I absolutely hate because it kills me. You're perfect, my princess, but you have to stop blaming yourself for something that happened to you when you were a child, for something you couldn't help."  
Clarke spun around, not even realizing that she's had her back to him, in shame. She hated crying, hated feeling weak and this conversation brings out both of those in her. Bellamy took her face in his hands, bringing her to look up at him while he wiped away her tears.

"Something I don't blame you for," he added looking directly in her blurry eyes. She saw his truth, she saw his perpetual love for her but her cynicism got the best of her, bringing a horrible memory to the surface that had her scared of telling Bellamy the truth when they'd gotten serious.

"Finn did."

"Finn was an undeserving ass."

"How can you love me?"

He smiled softly, as though he's been waiting for her to ask him since they've met. "Because you're the fiercest woman I know and even with all your faults, I still find them charming," he smiled.

Clarke scoffed through the tears, "You think you're so charismatic, hot shot."

"It got me you, didn't it?"

"Mm," she hummed, her mood brightening with his teasing tone. "Take me home and you can have me however you'd like."

"You went from crying to horny super-fast," he chuckled, pulling her along down the sidewalk to the subway to take them home.

* * *

Bellamy triple checked the cereal in the shopping cart. He wanted to have the right brand and chocolate milk and fruit roll-ups. He didn't really know what she liked but he wanted to be prepared.  
When he walked in the door, Clarke was pacing and he sighed. "Not here yet?"

"No, and they said ten, what if something happened?"

"I'm sure everything's fine. There could be traffic or some paperwork was filled out wrong or—" The doorbell rang and Clarke froze. "I'll get it," he turned around and opened the door, the groceries still in his hand.

Gaia and Madi were standing in the doorway, Madi looked nervous until she looked past Bellamy and saw Clarke, still frozen, and ran to her. Bellamy smiled.

"She's nervous," he said about Clarke at Gaia's expression.

"They both are, but they're already acclimated. You should join them," she smiled.

"Yeah. Thank you, Gaia. This means the world," Bellamy smiled, watching his favorite woman and her favorite girl interact together, hoping to feel as strongly about Madi as Clarke does.

"Bellamy," Clarke called and Bellamy looked to Gaia.

She handed the suitcase over to him and nodded. "Go, I'm happy for you guys and I'll see you soon."

Bellamy nodded and closed the door, setting the suitcase by the stairs and he headed over to the ladies in the living room.

"Madi, remember when we met, I told you that I have a husband who's a teacher? This is him, this is Bellamy."

"Hi," he smiled, sitting in the chair across from them. He didn't want to push, he didn't know what kind of household she's come out of. He knows the horrors of the foster system first hand.

His mother had left about a year after Octavia was born. It was the summer so Bellamy didn't have school and they had enough food for a while so when they ran out, he knocked on the door of Mrs. Vera next door and she helped until she didn't, she called the police and Bellamy and Octavia were bounced from foster home to foster home because no one wanted to take care of a one year old or the later of wanting the one year old and not her seven year old brother. Six months later they were back with Aurora and Bellamy never mentioned it to Octavia because she's too young to remember.

He'd cover for Aurora after he started working for Pike, not knowing the full extent of the job, just knew that when Aurora was gone with whichever junkie boyfriend at the time he kept food on the table. He was a stupid naïve kid who didn't even know he was in a gang. He turned eighteen and looked aurora in the eyes and told her that Octavia needed her and she couldn't leave again. He scared the shit out of his own mother so he could get out of the life he was in, joined the military, just to get through college, but it was a way out. Had Atom and Mbege watching O and Aurora for him, hoping Pike didn't do anything to her to get back at him. He wouldn't rat, he knows better than to do that, but he also learned that Atom had ulterior motives, Mbege set him straight and brought Murphy into the fold.

Bellamy didn't trust Murphy, but he half-trusted Mbege's judgement and let it go but inquired an old one night-er and she kept him in the loop more than Mbege and Murphy did, but that's probably because she didn't work for Pike like they did.

"Hi," Madi smiled warily. "You're a teacher."

"Fourth grade."

"I—I'm going into fourth."

"Good. I bet you're smart, know your times tables?"

"Ask me anything," she smiled, crossing her arms while squaring her shoulders.

Bellamy chuckled and looked to Clarke, "Eight times seven."

Clarke scoffed.

"Fifty-six," Madi smiled.

Bellamy nodded looking to Clarke, "Better than you."

"You did that on purpose," she chuckled.

"I couldn't multiply by eight and he's mocking me," she told Madi.

"Does that happen a lot?"

"To an extent, we've known each other for ten years so it's just a joke."

"I've seen marriages with teasing like that and none of them ended well."

"We're not like that. It took us years to even admit to ourselves let alone each other."

"I don't want to see you break apart," Madi frowned and Bellamy sighed.

"We won't," he told her sternly.

She looked to him and he knew she was uncertain. They have to prove to her that they're meant to be together, that they love each other. Most importantly that they love her.

They fell into a relationship, they'd stumbled into an engagement, they'd found her by happenstance. They're living life on the edge of their seats and they would never take any of it back.


End file.
